Special Meeting ZBA 9/28/2000

A brief overview of the Special ZBA public hearing on the buffer zone... again

9/28/2000 Town Hall

By Frank Hogg

I arrived about 15 minutes early, and the room was already about half full. I took my seat next to Joe Oliver and his family. Did you see the Channel 3 news? Joe and Stan Kogut were featured in a great story about their appeal. While waiting for the meeting to begin, I looked around the room and was amazed to see at least a dozen enlarged copies of a letter to the editor, about THIS web site... very nice! Thanks to whoever did it. I appreciate the publicity. It was a dissenting point of view but that is just fine with me. I would put it up here for you to read but the Cortland Standard will not allow it for copyright reasons. However it was a great plug for the site and I appreciate it.

By the 7:30 starting time, all the ZBA members were there, and the room was full. A few people had to watch from the hall. The channel 3 news was there taking pictures of the meeting. They got a great shot of Joe Heath while he was talking to the board. By the way did you see the Channel 3 news? We got great coverage. Hmmm, guess I'm repeating myself.

Dan O'Shea started it off with the ground rules and asked for public comment. Stan Kogut spoke with a passionate, well-presented talk, about how this project will adversely affect him and his family. It was well written, and well thought out. I hope to have it here for you to read over the weekend.

Then Dan called on the Flying J representatives, Ken Teeter and Amanda Shaw. Amanda started it off with their argument, that turns out are the same arguments they used on the last buffer zone appeal. Our legal staff knows why. As bad as their argument is for their position, it is the only one they have, so they have to use it. Didn't work before so I doubt it will work this time.

Then Ken Teeter talked, (maybe he was first, I'm not sure but it doesn't matter) Ken went to great lengths to show that the sewage runoff, or spill from Flying J, would not go towards the appellants, but instead go south towards Preble. I'm sure his intention was to try to show the board that the appellants should not be given standing. Instead he ended up offering proof, that the poop, will hit Preble after going through, and destroying the farmland, and the cemetery on its way to the center of town. Thanks Ken, let me know where to send the check... naw... just kidding.

I gave all my copies out before I could give one to Amanda Shaw. She said it was no problem as she had already printed it out from the PrebleNY.com site. Nice to know they read the site over at Shafers... Hi Amanda.

Joe Oliver read his letter to the board. I was impressed with his passion and feeling for his home and protecting his family. I looked over at his daughter Tina, while her dad talked, and she gave me the most innocent smile. He just wants to protect his family, who can blame him. Read his comments.

Several other people talked, with a small number offering support for business in general, and Flying J, but no one spoke out FOR Flying J's use of the buffer zone for their sewage system. Most were short comments of support for Flying J. The only prepared comment for Flying J was from a nice woman, who is not a resident of Preble. This is what a public hearing is for. You don't have to live here to come to our meeting, and speak your piece.

Joe Heath spoke at length about the illegality of Flying J's position and was filmed by the crew from Channel 3. Did you see him on the Channel 3 news? There was a great shot of him giving an impassioned talk, about how weak Flying J's position is.

A local woman gave a very nice well-prepared talk about some of the details of this project and other problems with Flying J's around the country. It was informative and detailed and I hope to have it up here later.

After everybody had a chance to talk, I was given a second chance to speak. Dan jokingly said he was putting the stopwatch on me. We all laughed. I talked about Ken Teeter's comments about the flow direction, and that perhaps we should use the buffer zone, as a dike, to prevent human waste from contaminating the Knapp farm next door. You may know that the Knapp farm was, more or less purchased by the "Forever Green" program for 1.1 million bucks. Therefore it belongs to all of us. Our tax dollars paid for it. I suggested that because of this, everyone should be given standing. I also pointed out that if Ken Teeter were right then the poop would end up contaminating the Knapp farm, and instead of it being "Forever Green" it would be "Forever Brown". Everyone got a big laugh out of that.

It was a very good night for those in support of upholding our laws. As I said no one talked in favor of Flying J using the buffer zone for its sewage. There was only a little grumbling from the audience when they didn't like something they heard but for the most part it was a civil meeting.

Now that I think about it, who would be in favor of putting a 26,000-gallon per day sewage disposal plant right next to Ag land that grows food we all eat?.

Now what happens?

The ZBA will receive written comments until October 12^th. Send them to: